The reasons why you may have blood stains on your clothing or furniture are many. You may have small kids who were bitten by mosquitoes, started to itch, and developed scabs they began to pick. Result: blood all over your place. Or, you may have nicked while shaving or cut your finger while peeling potatoes. This way or that, you have a red stain on your shirt or dress now. With blood stains, the quicker you act the better. Then, the chance of seeing your clothes, carpet, or mattress spotless again is greater. However, even if you didn’t notice a stain at once, you can still remove it by following these simple tips.
Fresh blood stains
As already said, you should try to remove blood stains as soon as you’ve noticed them. There is no need for fancy and expensive stain removal chemicals. You can easily get rid of blood stains with simple household items.
1. Cola
It may sound as a big surprise, but cola may be an effective stain removal liquid. It is especially valuable when you are out somewhere. For example, at the party. When you see a blood spot on a sleeve of your shirt, take a bottle of Cola and pour some of it on the stain. Repeat that several times. When you come back home, leave the part of your clothing with the stain in Cola until the morning.
2. Vinegar
Vinegar is another possible “remedy” for fresh blood stains. Soak the red spot on your clothing or your sofa in strong white vinegar for about 10 minutes. Then, take a cotton ball or cloth and blot the spot gently until the stain disappears completely.
3. Cornstarch
- Mix some cornstarch with cold water.
- Put this mixture on the spot, let is stay there for about a minute.
- Start rubbing it into the stain with gentle circular movements.
- Take the affected item to a place with a lot of sunlight and leave it there until it is dry.
- Take a cloth and remove any loose bits.
- If the stain persists, go over the same steps again.
4. WD-40
The purpose of WD-40 is to lift stains (not only blood stains) before you throw your clothes to the washing machine. Then a foreign substance will come out easily.
- Spray some WD-40 directly on the red spot and let it penetrate into the fabric.
- Wait for 1-2 minutes.
- Wash the item.
5. Talcum powder
That is similar to using cornstarch.
- Make a mixture of talcum powder with cold water.
- Apply the mixture to the blood stain.
- Wait for the spot to dry.
- Remove the residue.
Older blood stains
If the stain you have to deal with is older, you will have to make a greater effort to get rid of it. It is hard, but possible. The most common approaches are to use ammonia and hydrogen peroxide.
1. Hydrogen peroxide
Probably, everyone has hydrogen peroxide in their first-aid kit. Apart from being used for treating scratches and wounds, though, this liquid can help remove blood stains as well. This is how you can do it.
- Pour a small amount of peroxide on the red spot.
- Take a cotton ball and slowly blot the spot with it. Don’t rub the spot because it may damage the fabric.
- Pour another portion of the liquid on the spot.
- Wait for around 10 minutes.
- Take your iron and ironing board. Heat up the iron.
- Make sure the spot is still wet. Put the item of clothing on the board. Iron the spot until no blood is left on the fabric.
2. Ammonia
Using ammonia is perhaps the most effective way of removing blood stains. Working with this substance, however, requires some protective measures. You should wear rubber gloves and perform all operations in a room with good ventilation. These are the steps you need to take.
- Mix ammonia with water in a small container. Proportion: 50% of ammonia, 50% of cold water.
- Take a cotton ball and soak it in the mixture.
- Put the cotton ball on the stain and start blotting it, trying not to spoil the fabric. Leave the ball on the stain from time to time. Then put the newly soaked cotton ball on the stain again.
- Wash the item by hand or in the washing machine.
General advice
Whatever the age of blood stains, remember to stick to a few essential guidelines.
- As any cleaning professional will tell you, avoid mixing bleach with ammonia.
- Start treating blood stains from the backside.
- Apply a small amount of chemical substance you are going to use for removing the stain to an out-of-sight spot on your clothing. That way you can make sure it doesn’t affect the color or structure of the fabric.
- Don’t treat blood stains with hot or even warm water. If you do, blood will remain in the fabric forever.
- Never use the dryer on your clothing before you have completely removed a blood stain from it. The explanation is the same as in the previous tip: blood will get into the fabric fibers and you will never be able to get it out of there.
Removing blood stains can be relatively easy or difficult depending on how old the stain is. You can use simple household items for that purpose including hydrogen peroxide, cornstarch, or vinegar. If the stain is too old and those methods fail, consider turning to professionals.
